Heat therapy appliance



Jan. 24, 1950 G. c. TONG HEAT THERAPY APPLIANCE Filed Oct. so, 1946HJNVENTOR. GEORGE C. TONG Patented Jan. 24, 1950 George C. Tong, St.Louis, Mo. Application October 30, 1946, Serial No. 706,665

4 Claims. (01. 219- 46 This invention relates generally to heating, andparticularly to a body warming apparatus.

While it is familiar fact that the application of heat to the human bodyis conducive to relaxation and assists in the restoration of health andproper functioning of the various parts of the body, the apparatusheretofore employed for warming the feet and legs of the human body hasfallen considerably short of all that was desired of it. Such deviceshave, as a general rule, been complex, so arranged that it was difiicultto maintain sanitation thereof and frequently required the attention ofa skilled attendant.

The object of the present invention, generally stated, is to provideheating apparatus for the feet and legs which is simple in constructionand operation, safe and sanitary.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical heating padwhich is easy to manufacture and suitable for heating the feet and legsof the human body.

Other objects will become apparent to those electrical skilled in'theart when the following description is read in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which: v

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a developed view of the'heating pad embodied in theapparatus of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line I 55 of Figure 4. I

In accordance with the present invention, generally stated, an elongatedfiexibleheating pad is mounted intermediate its ends'up'on a rigidsupport, so that the extremities of theheatin'g pad extend from thesupport for a substantial the support is sufficiently closetogetherthatall ent invention contemplates that the electrical V heatingelements be extended lengthwise of the heating pad and arranged thereinin parallel spaced relation. Such an arrangement. more over, facilitatesthe manufacture of the apparatus and enables the conductor-insulatorassembly to be drawn lengthwise through animp'ervious,perspiration-resistant envelope;

Referring now to .thedrawings forlan illustrative embodiment of theinvention, an elonmonly used in electrical heating devices.

I5 on the back 1.

V g 2 gated electrical heating pad is connected with." plate-likesupport, so that the heating pad I extends from the support in thegeneral shape of the letter M, the support being connected at the top ofthe M. Accordingly, the portions of the heating pad which project fromthe support comprise exterior legs 2 and 3 and interior legs 4 and 5,the latter being connected by fold'G and the entire heating padconsisting of the'legs 2,

portions of the heating pad are sufiiciently flexible to be conformedinto close relationship with the contour of a body member thereadjacent.

' In the embodiment shown, the support consists of a back 1, spacers 8and a front 9. The "front 9 is provided with a plurality of slots l0, H,H! and I3 through which the heating pad is threaded to produce the Mconfiguration previously' referred to. The slots 10, ll, l2 and l3 aresizedto permit the heating pad to be drawn therethrough'withoutdifficulty, but yet are sufficiently small that no other securing meansis necessary to retain the heating pad in position.

From that portion of the fold which is behind front 9' and between slotsIE1 and H an electrical connection l4 extends from the pad to a fixtureThe fixture l5 may be connected to 'any' suitable source of electricalenergy. It will be observed that the heating pad is substantiallyelongated, being for practical purposes on the order of twelve feet inlength, and

the connection of the exterior legs 2 and '3 to of the legs of the padwill snugly embrace the "-feet of a patient being treated. This dictatesthat the length of the legs of pad 2,3, 4 and "5,

extending out from the support be at least twice the transversedisplacement between slots 10 and 13. For the exterior legs 2 and 3 itis preferred,

- in fact, that their extended length be more on the order of three orfour times the displace- "ment between the exterior legs 2 and 3 attheir connection to support.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5, the heating pad. is provided-"withaseries of longitudinally extending conductors i6 arranged in parallelspaced f relation on the interior of the pad. While for the sake ofclarity, only six such conductors are shown in Figures 4 and 5, it willbe understood that any desired number of such conductors may bearranged'wi'thin the pad. The conductors fli are 3 structing the pad, asheet of felted material I! of a width substantially twice the width ofthe pad is provided. If the felted material I! be not fireproof, or ifit be or a character which is ignitible or charable at the temperaturesto which the conductor l5 may be elevated, a similar sheet of fireresistant material 18, such as asbestos cloth, may be super-imposed uponthe Sheet 61. The sheets I! and E8 are then folded, as shown at l9 inFigure 5, the fold extending longitudinally throughout the lengththereof at approximately the center of the sheets. At the bight of thefold a conductor i6 is laid lengthwise of the sheets and a strip 2!) offlexible dielectric material, such as :fi'ber glass cloth, is laideither above or below the first conductor. With these parts in theposition just described, a line of stitching 2| is run lengthwise or theassembly to confine the conductor 16 within the bight of the fold.Another conductor is then laid in parallel to the first conductor and upclose to the line of stitching 2|, but on the opposite side of the sheetof dielectric material 20 from the first conductor. A second line ofstitching 22 is then applied. This process is repeated through thelateral extent of the assembly and until the desired number ofconductors has been seamed in position. Having thus completed the betreated with a suitable sealing compound, such for example as latexsolution, or any other comparable material, suitable for closin theperforations formed by the line of stitching and rendering the seamimpervious. Having thus stitched the longitudinal edges of the sheet 23together, the same is invaginated so that the seam 24 becomes an inseam.The assembly of conductors IS with sheets I! and I8 is then drawnlengthwise through the envelope formed by this inseaming of sheet 23,and the ends of the latter are then appropriately secured together as bystitching and the subsequent application of a sealing compound.

Having thus provided the elongated heating pad I, whose length for thepurposes of the present invention must be at least ten times its width,

the part thereof to constitute the leg 2 is threaded through slot l fromthe back of plate 9, and the balance thereof is threaded through slot H,so that the electrical connections 14 are disposed between slots l9 andH behind plate 9. Thereupon the extended portion is drawn back throughslot l2 until the center legs 4 and are of appropriate length, andfinally the portion to define exterior leg 3 is threaded outwardlythrough slot l3.

It is also contemplated that a short length of supplementary heating pad26 of any suitable construction, but preferably likewise impervious andperspiration-resistant, be applied to the support above tthe long pad,as shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2, the electrical connections from pad26 preferably connected in parallel circuit relationship with theconductors in pad I. In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the endsof pad 26 pass through slots and I3 and are appropriately secured to theback of front 9.

From the foregoing description those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand that the invention provides a convenient, safe and sanitaryarrangement for heating the feet and legs of a human being and that thearrangement of the elongated heating pad with a transverse foot supportminimizes the possibility of inadvertent displacement of the heatingpad, so that the latter is of no effect if, as frequently happens duringthe treatment of a patient, the patient snoozes and by restlessness orotherwise might displace the pad from about the feet. The elongatedportions of the heating pad extending from the support, however, may betucked about the legs and the support 2 arranged against the foot of abed without reasonable likelihood that restlessness of the patient willdisplace the parts from the appropriate position. While in theaccompanying drawings and in the foregoing description a completedisclosure of one embodiment of the invention has been given, thoseskilled in the art will readily understand that many and varied changesand modifications of the apparatus may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to besecured by Letters Patent is:

l. A device of the kind described comprising, an elongated flexibleelectrical heating pad arranged in M shape, a rigid plate-like supportconnected to said pad at the top of the M, the exterior and interiorlegs of said M having a length on the order of at least twice thespacing of the exterior legs at their connection to the support, saidsupport extending substantially beyond said pad at one edge of thelatter, and an auxiliary heating pad mounted on the extending portion ofsaid support.

2. A device of the kind described comprising, an elongated flexibleelectrical heating pad having a length on the order of at least tentimes its width, and a rigid plate-like support connected to said padintermediate its ends so as to provide freely movable elongated heatingpad legs extending from said support. I

3. A device of the kind described comprising, an elongated flexibleelectrical heating pad having a length on the order of at least tentimes its width, and a rigid plate-like support connected to said padintermediate its ends so as to provide freely movable elongated heatingpad legs extending from said support, and electrical connections to theinterior of said pad located at the region thereof connected to saidsupport.

4. A device of the kind described comprising, an elongated flexibleelectrical heating pad having a. length on the order of at least tentimes its width, and a rigid plate-like support connected to said padintermediate its ends so as to provide freely movable elongated heatingpad legs extending from said support, said pad having aperspiration-resistant covering for the exposed parts thereof.

GEORGE C. TONG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Premack June 23, 1942

